Wrecking bar



Dec. 28, 1948. w. F. HENDERSON 2,457,231

WRECKING BAR Filed Aug. 9, 1940 7 W////a/h fi/rmmm INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 28 1948 WRECKIN G BAR William F. Henderson, Colfax, Wash.

Application August 9, 1946, Serial No. 689,488

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to a wrecking bar of the type used for extracting nails and for prying loose boards when razing a building or removing floor and roof boards which are to be replaced.

One object of the invention is to provide a wrecking tool formed from a single metal bar and so shaped that claws at ends of the bar may be selectively used for engaging nails and pulling them from boards.

Another object of the invention is to provide one end of the bar with a head or foot extending diagonally of the bar and projecting forwardly and rearwardly therefrom, both ends of the head or foot being formed with nail-engaging claws and the rear claws being curved longitudinally so that when the front claws are engaged under the head of a nail the bar may be rocked upon the rear claws as a fulcrum and the nail extracted without being bent.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wrecking bar bent near one end to provide an offset end portion constituting a handle which may be grasped and a nail extracted without the knuckles or fingers of the hand grasping the handle being injured by striking against a board or stringer as the nail is pulled out.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wrecking bar which is simple in construction and very strong.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a wrecking bar of the improved construction in use.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the upper end portion of the wrecking bar shown in Figure 1.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the lower end portion of the wrecking bar.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of Figure 1.

This improved wrecking bar, which is indicated in general by the numeral I, is formed of steel or other strong metal. One end portion of the bar is formed with a head or foot 2 which extends diagonally of the bar and has forwardly and rearwardly extending portions 3 and 4 which are flattened and of greater width than the bar. These front and rear portions of the foot 2 are formed with claws 5 and '6 for straddling a nail to be extracted and engaging under the head of the nail as shown in Figures 1 and 3. The lower surface 8 of the foot 2 and the lower surface 9 of the rearwardly extending portion 4 and connected with each other by an arcuate por- 2 tion I0, and from an inspection of Figure 3, it will be seen that after the claws 5 have been forced under the head of the nail l and downward pressure applied to the bar the foot will be rocked upon the curved surface It) and onto the flat under surface of the extension 4. During this rocking movement the claws 5 will be swung upwardly and the nail extracted from the plank or board H in a straight line and not be bent.

The rear end portion of the bar is bent to form a handle [2 connected with the major portion of the bar by a shank l3 and at the junction of the shank with the main portion of the bar there is formed a block or shoulder l4 having a fiat end face and since this shoulder is aligned with the bar the shoulder may be struck with a hammer after the claws 5 have been disposed in position against the head of the nail in straddling relation thereto and the claws will be driven under the nail head into position to extract the nail when the tool is rocked rearwardly upon the fulcrum formed by the extension 4. Since the handle I2 is offset with respect to the bar a hand grasping the handle will not strike against a board from which the nail is being pulled and the fingers or knuckles of the hand will not be injured. The rear portion of the handle is curved longitudinally and flattened and split to form claws l5 and when these claws are engaged under the head of a nail and pressure applied to the bar the nail will be extracted. Since the handle is curved longitudinally a rocking movement will be imparted to the tool during use of the claws I5 and the nail easily pulled from a board. It will thus be seen that either the claws 5, 6 or IE may be engaged with a nail to be pulled and rocking movement imparted to the tool during pulling of the nail. When the claws 6 are engaged under the head of the nail the foot is first rocked across the curved surface in and since thesharp ends of the claws 5 will then move into contact with the board the tool will rock upon ends of the claws 5 and a long nail may be pulled without bending it. The shank It extends at right angles to the bar I and is curved longitudinally so that it will serve as a hook which may be engaged across a nail, stringer, or the like and allow the tool to be suspended from the same when not in use. The extension 4 may also serve as a hook for suspending the tool when not in use.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

A wrecking tool comprising a bar having a foot I at its front end formed with forwardly and rearwardly extending claws, the rear portion of the bar being bent to form a rearwardly extending handle connected with the main portion of the bar by a shank extending upwardly from the bar at substantially right angles thereto, said handle having its rear portion curved longitudinally and flattened and split to form claws, and the shank being curved longitudinally and at its junction with thbafihaning a rearwardly extending v:blo'ck adapted to'be" struck with a "hammer for for-cing the claws at the front end of the foot under the head of a nail to be pulled.

WILLIAM F. HENDERSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 407,371 Rosenberger July 23, 1889 425,526 Seymour Apr. 15, 1890 97?;986 waddell- Dec. 6, 1910 156471576 -*Nowka etal. ..'Nov. 1, 1927 1,828,142 Herdman Oct. 20, 1931 92,087,148 Hempy July 13, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS r-Nuarnloer Country Date 101,430 Australia June 23, 1937 5005939 -Germany June 26, 1930 

